Thanks for the great update Chris and for the awesome eye candy Nathan! Couple of questions about the flight test parameters this time. Will it be at the same release altitude and airspeed? Will the test boom and engine bells be removed to better represent the aero config for the Cargo DC?

It's good that the CCiCap SNC agreement was prolonged. But what is more woriseome is that there doesn't appear to be any new milestones attached to it. Perhaps, SNC will worry about that once they have completed the second drop test.

The article was informative, did not know the actual touchdown speed and descent rate. The precision required for the flare may exceed what a human pilot could perform consistently.

Ironically the Shuttle autoland system was never tested in actual flight. Although the astronauts were willing to try it later in the program, management never quite gave the OK. The selection of the Dreamchaser for cargo will provide adequate opportunity for people to get used to the idea of the automated landing, though of course the X-37 has demonstrated this as well.

The article was informative, did not know the actual touchdown speed and descent rate. The precision required for the flare may exceed what a human pilot could perform consistently.

Ironically the Shuttle autoland system was never tested in actual flight. Although the astronauts were willing to try it later in the program, management never quite gave the OK. The selection of the Dreamchaser for cargo will provide adequate opportunity for people to get used to the idea of the automated landing, though of course the X-37 has demonstrated this as well.

It would be a nice photo-op someday of X-37 and DC together for posterity...

The article was informative, did not know the actual touchdown speed and descent rate. The precision required for the flare may exceed what a human pilot could perform consistently.

Ironically the Shuttle autoland system was never tested in actual flight. Although the astronauts were willing to try it later in the program, management never quite gave the OK. The selection of the Dreamchaser for cargo will provide adequate opportunity for people to get used to the idea of the automated landing, though of course the X-37 has demonstrated this as well.

That is one of the positives of cargo Dream Chaser. The original crewed DC needed a pilot to land whereas the cargo DC obviously has automated landing. I didn't know that Shuttle had autoland. Interesting.

The article was informative, did not know the actual touchdown speed and descent rate. The precision required for the flare may exceed what a human pilot could perform consistently.

Ironically the Shuttle autoland system was never tested in actual flight. Although the astronauts were willing to try it later in the program, management never quite gave the OK. The selection of the Dreamchaser for cargo will provide adequate opportunity for people to get used to the idea of the automated landing, though of course the X-37 has demonstrated this as well.

That is one of the positives of cargo Dream Chaser. The original crewed DC needed a pilot to land whereas the cargo DC obviously has automated landing. I didn't know that Shuttle had autoland. Interesting.